


Necessity

by GodOfGlitter



Series: A Story Told In Symbols [13]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments (Movies), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Domestic, Domestic Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, M/M, Mortality, Sad, Sad Ending, alec gets a white hair, i guess, shadowhunting is a dangerous profession
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 03:12:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13137873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GodOfGlitter/pseuds/GodOfGlitter
Summary: Magnus freaks out the day Alec gets his first grey hair.Alec always knew this was coming.





	Necessity

It all starts very innocently (doesn't it always?). It's evening, and the Lightwood-Bane family has just finished dinner stolen lovingly by a certain warlock who claims have no knowledge of the kitchen whatsoever. (Yeah, sure).  
  
Alec is sitting with his back to the couch, Rafe and Max giggling in his lap as Magnus cleans up. Max makes grabby motions with his hands, and Alec, the sucker that he is for his sons, picks him up and blows a raspberry on his stomach, sending him into fits of laughter mirrored by his brother.   
  
From the kitchen, Magnus chuckles, and, hearing it, Alec's heart warms with love that is surely reflected on his face. He knows that Magnus believes himself to be unfit for this perfect picture of domesticity, but he also knows that without him, this family wouldn’t be one. He begins to chuckle himself, before crying out in surprise as Max yanks his hair (damn his grip is powerful for a four-year-old).   
  
"Look! Daddy has a white hair!" Shrieks Max, pointing to Rafe in his excitement. Both of them push closer to observe it curiously, and Alec is so caught up in trying to salvage the rest of his hair that he almost misses the sudden crash of dishes in the kitchen.   
  
Understanding dawns on him as Magnus mutters a quick apology (that only Alec can hear all thanks to his hearing enhancing rune).   
  
It's a testament to how well they know each other that Alec immediately gathers up his curious children and ignores their protests in favour of putting them to sleep.  
Once they're comfortably settled, he walks into the kitchen and is met by the sight of Magnus leaning heavily against the sink, shoulders tense.   


“Are the kids asleep?” he asks, a slight tremor in his voice that doesn’t go unnoticed. “I’ll just finish in here and then we can go to bed. How does that sound, darling?” he soldiers on, even though he _knows_ it’s pointless.

 

“Mags…” begins Alec, as he walks up to him to put a hand on his shoulder. _I understand. I’m sorry._ Says his touch, and Magnus unclenches his hands from the countertop in favour of fisting them in Alec’s shirt.

 

"I know what you're going to say," he says, raising tear-filled eyes to Alec’s heartbroken blue ones. “We knew this was coming. _I_ knew what I signed up for, and I would never trade a single aspect of our life for anything, especially now that we have two _beautiful_ sons- it’s just that- that-“

 

“That you’re not ready yet.” Finishes Alec, gathering Magnus against his chest and allowing hot tears to spill onto it. He kisses his forehead and wishes that he didn’t have to put this perfect person through so much pain.

 

“But Mags, we have _years_ still. Years that we will make the best of. I’m not going anywhere! It’s just a white hair, and there’ll be many, many more before the world can even _think_ of pulling us apart.”

 

Alec cups Magnus’ cheek, wiping the tears away from his make-up free face.

“I love you.” he says simply.

 

More tears spill over Magnus’ pained eyes, and he crushes his mouth to Alec’s, tasting salt and sadness. “Promise me.” He says, even though he _knows_ it’s pointless- even with all his magic, Magnus is powerless here. “Promise me that you won’t _leave_ for a long, _long_ time.”

 

Alec looks at Magnus, the love of his life, heartbreaking because he knows that he’s a shadowhunter, and that demons don’t care about promises when they gut you. And so he bundles Magnus into a fierce embrace once more, determination mixing with guilt as he says resolutely-

 

“I’m not going anywhere.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, i know, terrible ending.
> 
> i'm sorry this is the way it is. really.
> 
> please leave a kudos anyway? :D


End file.
